Okay everyone, today I will tell you about my weekend at Spring Gaming Hoopla, March 25th & 26th, 2009. This is a smaller, but growing, convention that is located in Lake Como, Wisconsin. (Just a stones throw from Lake Geneva.) The convention was held at the Como Clubhouse. The Clubhouse is a good sized building with ample lighting, cathedral ceiling, fireplace, large kitchen area & a bar room. There is plenty of parking, enough for fourty cars+. The main hall is large enough to accomodate 30, or more, standard (2'x6') gaming tables. You can even fit another 3 or 4 tables in the bar room, for those that don't like to travel to far for a drink. Your host for this weekend of gaming goodness is a group known as 'Southern Lakes Area Gamers', (S.W.A.G.). What a great bunch of people. All the money SWAG earns at the convention is donated to the American Cancer Society. A very noble cause & one close to my heart as I lost both my parents to this evil disease. Saturday gaming was from 8:00 am-10:00 pm, so naturally the Mrs. & I got there about 7:50am & got a parking spot right out front. Upon entering we were warmly greeted by one of the staff members. (You could tell they were a staff member because they had on a T-shirt that said 'Staff' on it.) We paid our entrance fee, a measley $10.00 for the entire weekend, received our 'con-bag', were shown the board of gaming events & told to have fun. With con-bags in hand we went in search of a table to claim our squatters rights. All the tables had schedules on them listing the times that the table(s) would be needed for an event. This was very convenient as we were able to find a table without any events planned for that day. We plopped ourselves down & pulled out "Adventurer". We play for about two hours with quite a few interruptions from the convention goers, happily explaining the game & answering all questions asked. (No charge, Kerry.) It was time for a break & to examine our con-bags. We opened our bags & found some advertisrments, from the convention sponsors, three square gaming chits with a page of vague explainations & other goodies. My Mrs. had a coupon good for "one roll of the ribbon dice", which she turned in at the registration desk, rolled the dice, & won a coupon. Set up on two tables where many different items, games, books, etc; each with corresponding bags. Into these bags is where you placed the tickets you had won. (AH!! A game of chance!) This brought out the gambler in me so, I purchased $5.00 worth of rolls & won 16 tickets. It was at this time that Momma asked me if I had won any ribbon rolls. I told her "No", all I had in my bag was a "stupid picture of some game called Battue." DUH!!! (My mother often said sometimes I could be a little dense.) Momma grabbed the picture & ran up to the front desk to claim our prize. The rest of the day was spent playing Battue, eating, talking with other convention goers & doing what we were told to do when we walked through the doors. WE HAD FUN!! On sunday, we went back with a family member in tow & they also won a game in their con-bag. Rolled more ribbon dice, won a set of autographed books by Jean Rabe, gamed, ate, bought a couple of T-shirts & had more fun! It was near the end of the convention when we found out that this group would be having another 'Gaming Hoopla' the last weekend in September. I know where we'll be that weekend! For more information about this convention visit them at http://www.gaminghoopla.com. Hope to see you there.
Confused my old gaming group (S.L.A.G.) with S.W.A.G. (Southeastern Wisconsin Area Gamers.) Sorry 'bout that. :? Also, this gaming group (S.W.A.G. :!: ), has mini-hooplas the last sunday of every month. Want to game?
It has been confirmed! Fall Gaming Hoopla is set for September 26th & 27th. It will be held at the Como Clubhouse, again. Entry fees are $7.00 per day, or $10.00 for the weekend. Tom Wham & James Ward are the scheduled guests. Von Deekin's Respawning "Wings of War" will be one of the many events planned for this Mini-Con. Circle your calenders, ladies & gentlemen, for this is a REALLY GREAT TIME!! Don't miss it! More info later, Deke.
I'd like to catch one eventually. Bummer of timing, for drawing from Chicago, though, since there's a long-time suburban con that same weekend. Chicago Little Wars Lincolnshire 2 6-9 2009 http://www.hmgsmidwest.com/main.taf?p=2 Kit-Con Elgin 4 11 2009 http://www.eaglegamers.org/Page.aspx?pa ... ent=KitCon CodCon Glen Ellyn 4 17-19 2009 http://www.concentricconventioncompany.com Concentric Sugar Grove 5 23 2009 http://www.concentricconventioncompany.com Conception Glen Ellyn 9 25-27 2009 http://www.concentricconventioncompany.com RockCon Rockford 10 23-25 2009 http://www.rock-con.com Kit-Con Elgin 11 ? 2009 http://www.eaglegamers.org/Page.aspx?pa ... ent=KitCon WolfCon Chicago 11 ? 2009 http://www.wolfcon.org/
This looks pretty neat! Will have to check the calendar for this one. Wouldn't mind check out some WoW!
It's gonna be a great time. Word has it that a certain someone from Inner City Games may also make an appearance.
For those wishing to attend this years' Fall Hoopla, pre-registration is now open. Go to www.gaminghoopla.com to sign up. Hope to see you there.
It's been confirmed; Von Deekin will be running three 'Wings of War' events at the next Fall Hoopla. On saturday, September 26th at 10:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-4:00pm & 6:00pm-8:00pm. Prizes will be awarded to the top scoring pilots. Instructions & rules before each event. Come on down!
Pre-registartion for the Fall Hoopla ends on the 31st. Many of the weekend events have already been posted. Check it out at www.gaminghoopla.com. Swag bags are going to be loaded with all kinds of 'goodies'. They will have a gaming library of over 850 games, free to attendees & the giant game raffle has over $1000.00 worth of games. (Let's see, 50 tickets divided by 1000, multiplied by the number of people attending, sutract those that lose their tickets, plus the additional 50 tickets I'll win playing Ribbon Dice = .........I hope I win a game.) Don't forget, the Fall Hoopla is September 26th & 27th, 2009. Hope to see you there.
Von Deekin will also be running a "Warrior Knights, Crown & Glory" event on Sunday September 27th, at the Fall Gaming Hoopla. It's good to be the King................but, maybe not today.
Just found out that Chris Clark, of Inner City Games, will be attending the Fall Hoopla. He is planning to run a 1st edition D & D adventure called "Challenge of Arms", from 5m-9m on saturday. He will also be ruuning War P.I.G.S, Omaha Beach from noon until 4m, same day.
Another great time was had at Fall Hoopla '09. I'm hoping to post some pictures here this coming weekend. Word about Garycon 2 was spread, & received very optimistically. More later.........
Here's some pix from Fall Hoopla.........ENJOY!!! Mama, A.K.A. Mrs. Keeper at Fall Hoopla A game of Warrior Knights, one of my favs. The Hoopla Raffle Gamers just gaming. The Keeper at Fall Hoopla & Keeper Junior......a.k.a. Coffee Boy
I'VE GOT MORE!!!!!!! Storming the beaches at Normandy (WAR P.I.G.S.) Chris Clark doin' some DMing Mr. Clark takes a bow
& a couple more...... Air extreme.... Dat's the little woman.....Gamer wanna-be! & from the start...... D....D.....D....DAT'S ALL FOLKS!!!!!
Event submission is now open for the next Spring Hoopla, April 24th & 25th, 2010. If your gonna be there might as well play something you like. Go to http://www.gaminghoopla.com/index.html for more details!
